Today's Reading: Matthew 17: 14-21
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 17: 14-21
Bible Study
After the passages of the last two days about the source of Jesus power, here we see how he demonstrated his power again bringing light to someone's son who had been in suffering and darkness for a long time.
The interesting thing is that Jesus disciples could not do any healing to that man's son. But according to how Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs they were able to heal the sick, to raise the dead and to cast out demons(10:8). And they could not do anything now, why?
Jesus said, "Because you have so little faith." Jesus reminded them of what he said in 13: 31-32 that if they had faith, even as small as the size of a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for them. Jesus changed the context of what he talked about the kingdom in chapter 13 to individual faith.
What's really happening?
N.T. Wright gives us some clue. He says:
N.T. Wright gives us some clue. He says:
Jesus knows from the disciples' failure that they are still not in tune with the true God who is calling them, as well as him,to obedience and to the way of the cross. In the last verse of the passage he challenges them, and us, to a further exercise of faith. Once you are getting to know the one true God, maybe it's time for some more concentrated prayer, perhaps even with the discipline of fasting to concentrate your mind and heart. If Jesus himself needed these disciplines, who are we to think we can manage without them?
Ah, the discipline of fasting is not for you to push God to the edge so that you can get what you want by your severe fasting. Fasting has two main purposes:
1. To repent and return to His Kingdom having Jesus as Lord.
2. To concentrate our focus on God so that we can really listen and obey to Jesus as our Lord, Savior and King.
Using N.T. Wright's word to describe fasting is to get in tune with God. I am a musician and I know it so well the importance of in tune and the disaster of out of tune. No matter who well a choir can sing or an orchestra can play, if they are out of tune, then it would be horrible!
How can we be in tune with God?
How can we be in tune with each others in our family and our church that we have Jesus or the leader He appointed as the conductor to play a beautiful piece of music!
Ah, then we need fasting!
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: What has fasting to do with faith?
What I received from Jesus today is a very clear teaching of the importance of fasting, the need to fast and an invitation from Jesus to you to fast!
Each year I usually have two to three fasting according to what I receive from our Lord Jesus Christ. I always fast during Lent(46 days before Easter Sunday, start with Ash Wednesday and do not need to fast on that six Sundays). I just started a 40 days fasting since October 25 and today is my 14th day. The purpose of my fasting is to repent and to concentrate my focus on God.
The past 14 days has been a wonderful and powerful time to me that I experience more of the sweet fellowship with the Lord and with more people.
And, I think that Jesus and his three apostles were fasting when they were in the mountains. Jesus not only wanted to teach his disciples to have a daily intimate personal relationship with God but also the importance of fasting that they could get in tune with God. And, while the four of them were in the mountain enjoying their time with God in the great light, the other disciples were doing the healing and the casting of demons but they just could not do it this time. May be they were on the "doing" mode and not on the
"being" mode! Fasting helps us to move from our "doing" mode to Jesus "being" mode!
So, what has fasting to do with faith?
Fasting can help you to move from little faith to huge faith!
You may want to ask how do I fast. Usually I skip lunch for 40 days(I tried two times in the past years of a 100 days fasting). If I have to have lunch meeting with some people then I'll skip dinner. The fasting I am now in is the first one that I fast also on Sundays to make a continuous 40 days. But for the Sundays I skip breakfast.
Somebody misunderstood me when I told people that I fast because they thought that I was trying to tell other people how good I am that I fast. I never have that kind of thinking, that's PRIDE! The reason for me to share with other people and here in this blog is to encourage you to fast and I need to give my own example so that you know that it works and Jesus always bless our fasting and praying if we have the right attitude.
Somebody misunderstood me when I told people that I fast because they thought that I was trying to tell other people how good I am that I fast. I never have that kind of thinking, that's PRIDE! The reason for me to share with other people and here in this blog is to encourage you to fast and I need to give my own example so that you know that it works and Jesus always bless our fasting and praying if we have the right attitude.
We also recommend to stop doing something for 40 days to test if those things have become an addiction controlling your life, like playing computer games, wine, beer, smoking, eating too much ...etc. But, skipping a meal a day for 40 days is still the most Biblical way to do a fasting and the most effective way I have experienced.
Are you ready to try your first fasting if you have not done so?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be willing to fast and pray so that we are in tune with you and other people. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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